# name
Infectiousness of patients with smear-negative pulmonary tuberculosis, assessed by Real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction, Xpert®MTB/RIF

# metadata.dc.description.abstract[].value
Currently, pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) isolation recommendations are based on serial sputum smear microscopy. To assess infectiousness of smear-negative/GeneXpert-positive (Sm-/GXpert+) pulmonary TB, we evaluated 511 contacts of pulmonary TB patients attended at a teaching hospital in Spain (2010-2018). There were no statistically significant differences in rates of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection (46.2% contacts of smear-positive and 34.6% contacts of Sm-/GXpert+ pulmonary TB patients, p=0.112). Sm-/GXpert+ pulmonary TB poses a substantial risk of transmission of M. tuberculosis infection. Our results add evidence to support including Real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction (Xpert®MTB/RIF) in the work-up diagnosis of suspected pulmonary TB cases to make decisions on air-borne isolation.

# metadata.dc.rights[].value
cc-by-nc-nd (c) The British Infection Association, 2020

# metadata.dc.source[].value
Articles publicats en revistes (Ciències Clíniques)

# metadata.dc.title[].value
Infectiousness of patients with smear-negative pulmonary tuberculosis, assessed by Real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction, Xpert®MTB/RIF